8 Easy ways to garnish your food. (No special skills required.)

Food can be as delicious as it looks.

I like to play with the look of my food sometimes, especially on special occasions such as a party and a romantic dinner. Fruit and vegetables carving can be used to make beautiful food decorating items, but it takes time to build up the skills that you need to finish the piece. Not everybody likes to carve, and decorating your palette doesn't have to be difficult. It can be simple things that make a difference.

Use your artistic imagination. Here are guidelines to help you decorate your food the easy way without breaking a sweat.

1. The garnish has to be edible and compatible with the food. That means the garnish can be an ingredient of the dish, or the flavor is compatible with the dish.

2. Garnish with something that complement the dish. If the garnish that you use are not the part of ingredients in the dish. Make sure that the combination of flavors is compatible. (Creamy soup garnish with croutons or parsley = compatible, Chopped basil on carrot cake = incompatible)

3. Complex dishes require simple garnishes. If you cook with colorful ingredients with many kinds of textures already,maybe all you need is a simple design plate without patterns. You may garnish with something sprinkle on top of the dish or a sprig of herb.

4. Simple dishes can use more garnish with contrast colors or shape. For example, you can arrange colorful vegetables that are cut nicely around the meat dish for a more appealing look but don’t overcrowd the platter.

5. Present the food in pleasing shape. Cut in slices or different shapes. Arrange the pieces, fan them out and so on

6. You can ’sprinkle’ anything on top of the food to make it more colorful, whether it will be nuts, herbs, sugar, or anything, depend on the dish. You can also ‘drizzle’ the food to add color, hide imperfections or just add more look to it. It could be herb oils, sauces, or syrup, depends on the dish that you’re decorating.

7. Put in a mold. This could work with fried rice, ice cubes, pudding, jelly, salad and so on. (such as fried rice, ice cubes or jelly and etc.)

8. Play with plate shape or patterns ( long square, circle, etc.) Always leave space around the edge of the plate. The food portion should be appropriate to the dish. Never too much or less. One tone color plate or simply white can complement the look of a complex dish. Patterns can go with a simple color dish. ( like one or two color shade such as roast beef with gravy can be served in patterns plate while colorful salads should be served in white, black, or one tone color plate.

Examples pictures for easy garnishing.

The soup is garnished with ingredient of the dish. Idea No. 1,2 can apply here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28757974@N00/201387115/in/set-72057594083512693/

Simple noodle dish looks more colorful and delicious with some herb garnish on top http://www.flickr.com/photos/wiffygal/3693882997/

Play with colorful sauces and fruit to decorate the palette, make your dessert a piece of art. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dailydelicious/3591984214/

Layers and colors can be a good combination of flavors and textures. http://www.flickr.com/photos/latarnia/2830613943/